Southern John Muir Trail, Big South Fork

September 2-3: A solo backcountry excursion on the best foot trail in the Big South Fork and the Daniel Boone country. This 50-mile trail commemorates the life and wilderness explorations of John Muir, the father of our national park system. In September1867, Muir walked across Kentucky as part of his first epic wilderness journey, which began in Louisville, Kentucky and ended in Cedar Keys, Florida and later became the book, A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf. The trail is symbolized with a blue silhouette of a bearded man with a hat and each one has a little different personality upon close inspection and the trail is known for its many inspiring overlooks. I encountered 4 other solo backcountry packers who all seem to marvel at their good fortune to commune with nature in such an isolated and unbroken country, even on a busy holiday weekend. The Big South Fork is Kentucky's most rugged and remote park. Saturday began at Leatherwood Ford, then onto Angel Falls Overlook, Grand Gap, Duncan Hollow, Station Camp Creek, and Laurel Fork Creek. Sunday began with coffee, then Station Camp Ford, Duncan Hollow Trail, Angel Falls Overlook, Onieda & Western Bridge, and then to the Leatherwood Loop and Overlook. Sunday found Jake mostly leashed due to abundance of copperheads. 38 miles total, with 22 unique miles of the John Muir Trail mapped.